A seafront community is in shock after the death of a 17-year-old boy who got into trouble off the coast at Roker.

Police named the victim as Liam Hall, from the Southwick area of Sunderland , on Wednesday lunchtime. He was plucked from the water off the North East coast following a major rescue operation on Tuesday, but later died in hospital.

Floral tributes has been laid close to where Liam was pulled from the sea.

And today beach-goers spoke of their shock and said the bay is popular for swimming, though it is not patrolled by lifeguards.

Tom Parking, owner of Sue’s Cafe, said: “People were quite shocked to hear it, this is quite a relaxing place it’s calm and people come to swim here.

“It was very tense when the search was on and people realised how serious it was. People were waiting on the shoreline and they were very distressed.

“It’s really tragic, it is very rare for people to get into trouble here.”

Liam is thought to have been out in a dinghy with three teenage pals - another boy and two girls, all aged 17 - when he and the other boy jumped out for a swim, before tragedy struck.

John Head, 72, a regular visitor to the marina, said: “The tides are stronger around here than people think. It looks calm on the surface, but underneath is a different story.

“He was only 17 and mustn’t have realised. It will be a terrible shock for his family.”

Emergency services on Roker Beach

The drama unfolded at around 3.20pm on Tuesday.

A major rescue operation was launched when the youngsters were seen in distress where the sea joins the mouth of the River Wear, near to the Old Pier at Sunderland Yacht Club.

Liam was in the water for more than two hours before he was rescued and taken to Newcastle’s RVI, where he later died.

The other boy, along with the two teenage girls who had stayed in the boat, were quickly rescued.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said on Wednesday: “The other three teenagers remain in a stable condition.

“Our thoughts are with the boy’s family at this time.”

Amy Weatherall, 23, a waitress at Snow Goose cafe on the harbour front, said people were devastated that Liam had died after being rescued.

She said: “You hear about things like this happening but you don’t ever think it’s going to happen. People are quite shocked.

“People were relieved when he was rescued so this is just a huge blow, he just mustn’t have realised how dangerous it is.”

Silvia Miller, 66, added: “This sort of thing doesn’t happen often, not at this part of the coast. He was so young, only 17, it is just shocking.

“His friends and family, they will feel it the most. They must be devastated.”